As news of the massive earthquake in China reached Vancouver yesterday, organizations in the Chinese-Canadian community coalesced to devise fundraising strategies.
Nearly 10,000 people have died since a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern China yesterday.
John Wong, with the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) said many people had only just heard the news but added that a plan to send aid is being formulated.
“It only depends on how much and on how large of a scale because Burma’s got a lot of people (who) need help, too,” he said.
“We’ll be having a meeting (today) to … see what we can do to help. In the past we (donated) through the Canadian Red Cross or the Consulate General’s office.”
Cyrus Lee, director of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association, said the community can’t always donate large sums of money for disaster relief, but anything helps.
“The number isn’t (necessarily) big but it’s from the bottom of our hearts.”
Alice Lam, a spokesperson with the Canadian Red Cross Society, Lower Mainland, said the group is in early talks with Red Cross China and third party charitable organizations.
“The disaster’s still unfolding and we’re getting information as it comes,” she said, adding that local calls of donations are already coming in.
